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AMES, Ia. – He punches at Mike Warren with authoritative jabs similar to a professional boxer – or at least he thinks he does. He’s Iowa State’s best football player’s mentor, position coach — and sometimes even his tough-love buddy.

But really, Lou Ayeni is a softie. The only holdover assistant coach from the previous staff, Warren’s tailback position coach has a secret passion that he shared for the first time during Media Day a couple weeks ago.

Shhhhh ...

“Don’t tell anyone,” he told me, “but someday when I’m all done with football – whenever that is — I’m going to own a cupcake shop. It’s my little secret.”

A cupcake shop?

Don’t tell anyone? Sure, no problem.

Not.

The coach of one of the Big 12 Conference’s top running backs, the coach of a tailback who can become Iowa State’s first player since Ennis Haywood in 2000-01 with consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, will become a baker once he out-grows this coaching phase of his life.

Whenever that is.

“It’s one of those things no one knows about me,” the personable Ayeni said. “If I wasn’t in coaching, I’d be a sports broadcaster or in sports marketing – and then start up my own cupcake shop.

“There’s a cupcake place in Chicago that I like. Sweet Mandy B’s. It’s in Lincoln Park. It’s unbelievable. Best I’ve ever had.

“And I’ve had them all.”

Buy Photo

Iowa State running backs coach Lou Ayeni is seen on the sidelines during the Iowa State football spring scrimmage on Saturday, April 12, 2014, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.(Photo: Register file photo)

A Northwestern undergrad. A Northwestern Master's grad. And for the past seven seasons, a football coach — much to the chagrin of his mother.

“My mom makes fun of me all the time,” he said. “She says, 'Louis, you went to Northwestern, and you got your Master's degree to coach football? I don’t understand. Go and do something else.'”

Maybe someday, mom. Someday Louis, as you call him, might be a head coach. Someday he might end up in a broadcast booth or behind a desk at Nike, or maybe even icing cupcakes for a living.

Iowa State running back Mike Warren gets interviewed by the media after a meeting about the hiring of new head football coach Matt Campbell on November 29, 2015 at the Bergstrom Football Complex in Ames, Iowa. Brian Achenbach/Special to the Register

Iowa State running back Mike Warren gets interviewed by the media after a meeting about the hiring of new head football coach Matt Campbell on November 29, 2015 at the Bergstrom Football Complex in Ames, Iowa. Brian Achenbach/Special to the Register

Mike Warren of the Iowa State Cyclones rushes in the first half against Shaq Petteway of the West Virginia Mountaineers during the game on November 28, 2015 at Mountaineer Field in Morgantown, West Virginia. Getty Images

Iowa State runningback Mike Warren walks to the Jacobson Building after leaving a meeting about the firing of head coach Paul Rhoads on November 22, 2015, outside Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. Brian Achenbach/For the Register

Iowa State Cyclones running back Mike Warren (2) is tackled by Kansas State Wildcats defensive back Kendall Adams (21) and linebacker Charmeachealle Moore (52) in the first half in a game at Bill Snyder Family Football Stadium. Scott Sewell/USA TODAY Sports

Iowa State running back Mike Warren (2) is brought down by Northern Iowa linebacker Brett McMakin (49) during the first half of their game Saturday Sept. 5, 2015, at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa. Rodney White/The Register

“I cannot accept a child who has the potential but doesn’t use it,” Flora Ayeni said. “I kept telling him no (football coaching). I told him to be a lawyer, actually. I even bought him law school tests to help him study. That’s when he told me no, that football was going to be his life.

"At least he has his degrees.”

So if it sounds like his mother has influenced Ayeni’s life, you’re right.

“My mom has always been hard on me,” he said. “She wanted me to be a good man. I love her to death. She’s my rock, but she’s hard on me.

“She’s the one that made me go to Northwestern. I was going to go to Wisconsin.”

He was a Wildcats running back between 1999-02. He switched to the secondary as a senior, and played for a while in the pros, but why Northwestern?

“Academics,” he said. “She always said that if you’re going to get something for free, get the most expensive one.”

What did dad say?

“He listens to my mom,” Lou said, chuckling. “Very smart man.”

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Cyclone running backs coach Lou Ayeni instructs his players before the Iowa State football spring scrimmage on Saturday April 12, 2014 at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.(Photo: Register file photo)

Meet Muhammad Ayeni

They raised a very smart and crafty man, now 35 and maybe in better physical condition than when he was playing ball.

Want to go a few rounds? Lou’s got the gloves.

“As a young coach, you’re always thinking of ways to get your message across, and with Mike, we have to protect the football,” Ayeni said. “I went out and bought some boxing gloves.”

So as Warren and the rest of the running backs go through football-carrying drills, their position coach is nearby, trying to punch out a fumble.

“I take my hacks at them,” Ayeni said. “I’m probably like a young Roy Jones, with maybe a little Ali in there, because I talk trash.

“It makes it fun, but it’s tough. I’ve got a good 1-2 punch coming at you.”

How good?

“He packs a mean punch,” Warren said. “It’s all for the greater good.”

CLOSE

Register and Cyclone Insider columnist Randy Peterson makes his predictions for who'll be named the Big 12 MVP, which team will go 12-0 and whether he thinks the Cyclones will make a bowl game this season.

Back to his sweet tooth

Randy Peterson, senior sports reporter, has been with the Register for parts of five decades. Randy writes opinion and analysis of Iowa State football and basketball. You can reach Randy at rpeterson@dmreg.com or on Twitter at RandyPete.